


Turn Back Time

by LovingGwendolaj



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, RPF, Romance, This is crazy, What am I doing, turn back time
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-19 08:02:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14232861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovingGwendolaj/pseuds/LovingGwendolaj
Summary: When Gwendoline finds out that her and Nikolaj had an encounter almost two decades earlier she’s shook. The man had left a lasting impression on her and she couldn’t believe all this time it was him, one of her dearest friends. At first she’s angry that he didn’t tell her right away, they’d already worked together for more than 3 years. But Gwen comes up with an idea, what if they could pretend things had worked out differently? What if they went momentarily back in time and picked up where fate had intervened?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a Jaime/Brienne story. It’s Gwen/Nikolaj RPF. So please stop here if that doesn’t interest you. 
> 
> No disrespect intended to any of the names used in this work of fiction.

**Prologue**

LONDON, LATE 90s

Nikolaj had only come out for one drink, maybe two, that’s all. He had completely blown the audition he was in London for and he thought he deserved a little alcohol to kill the sting and frustration of the mess he’d made that afternoon. He’d stuck to the plan of only having a drink or two but several hours later he was still out, ordering water in every bar he walked into. 

A woman had caught his attention hours earlier and he had followed her in and out of 3 different bars at that point. Both their hands had a rainbow of stamps from the covers they had paid to get in. Nik wasn’t a stalker or some pervert ogling this mysterious and captivating young woman. He was truly curious and drawn to her in a way he couldn’t explain. Beyond that, he was actually a bit worried about her too. 

She was lost in a world of her own and she was literally a beautiful disaster, a total hot mess. He wondered what had her out, dancing in and out of so many bars, downing shots like a frat house college boy? Was she just a bachelorette looking to have some fun? Did she just come off a bad breakup perhaps and she was drowning her sorrows? 

He didn’t know her story, but the one thing he did know was that she was extremely drunk at that point. Nik found a spot at the bar to watch her on the dance floor. He guessed she was maybe 20, 21 years old, definitely young, but surely legal. Her shoulder length blonde hair was wild from the way she’d been dancing, running her fingers through it in an overly sexualized way. He had to look away at one point because she was making him feel things. 

It was never difficult to pick her out in a crowd. She was a tall woman to begin with and she was also wearing heels which had her towering over most others in the room. She continued to dance around, her eyes closed, singing along to every song they played and Nik couldn’t tear his eyes off her face. She was wearing a lot of makeup, probably too much, but it seemed to fit her larger than life personality. He wondered if she was always like that or if it was all the alcohol? 

Men were starting to close in on her and it left Nik feeling angry, though he knew he didn’t have the right. There was a dark haired guy practically grinding on her, but she barely noticed him, still lost in her own world. It was getting late and the men still in the bar were desperate to find a piece of ass to take home. This woman had a target on her with how obviously drunk and alone she was. 

Suddenly she was coming off the dance floor, heading right in his direction, as she tugged at her short, tight dress, trying to pull it up at the top and down at the bottom without much success. Her tits were practically falling out the top, had they been any bigger they definitely would have been on full display, and he was pretty sure if she turned around or bent over just slightly he would get a full view of her underwear, assuming she was wearing any. That thought left him feeling a stirring in the groin area. 

“Want to buy me a shot?” She asked, stumbling the last few steps. Nik had to stand and steady her so she didn’t fall. “I’m going to be a famous actress one day,” she added randomly. “Everyone will know my name.” She tried to stand on her own and stumbled again. “Stupid fucking heels,” she muttered, as if it was the shoes that were the problem. 

“I don’t think you need another shot,” he replied honestly. An actress? Really? This mysterious woman he’d been watching for hours wanted to end up in the same line of work as him? 

“I do,” she said, bobbing her head. He had already sensed a change in her, she was starting to crash. “I need a fucking drink. I need 10 fucking drinks. I need…” Suddenly she started to cry. “I should go,” she said, starting to dig in her little purse. When she pulled out a set of keys he quickly snatched them out of her hand. “Hey, give those back,” she snapped, trying to grab them. In the process she fell against his chest and Nik had to hold her up. She was done. 

“Come on, I’ll take you home.” She didn’t say another word as she leaned on him and let him walk her out of the bar. Somehow he managed to get her to tell him where her car was and the address of her flat. Nik carefully dumped her into the passenger seat and belted her in. He didn’t know the city well and it likely took way longer than it should, but somehow he found her place and parked in the drive.

She had passed out on the drive but Nik was thankful she hadn’t thrown up at least. It was coming, at some point, if not during the night surely the next morning. He somehow managed to get her inside, though he had to carry her most of the way. 

When he set her on her feet inside the door she woke up. “Hey,” she muttered, leaning in to kiss him. 

Nikolaj knew he should have pulled away instantly but he let it continue for a moment because he couldn’t help but be attracted to this gorgeous mystery woman. Finally he pulled back. “Where’s your bedroom?” He asked. 

With a giggle she led the way, kicking off the heels and wiggling out of her dress on the way. Nik held back the groan in his throat following her curvy hips and sexy ass, as she wore nothing but a thong.

“Get in bed,” he said as they entered the room. She laughed again but did as she was told. 

A few years ago he likely would have been ripping off his own clothes, ready to dive into bed with her. He would have been almost as drunk as she was and they would have fucked until they both passed out. He would have snuck out the next morning and never saw her again.

But Nik wasn’t a boy anymore, he was a man, and a sober man didn’t take advantage of a drunk woman, he took her home, made sure she was safe and then left her to sleep alone. 

He walked over to the bed and pulled the covers up over her body. Thankfully even though she’d been expecting something completely different to happen, crawling in bed had made her tired and she was already nodding off. Nik rolled her onto her side and then put extra pillows behind her so she couldn’t roll. He didn’t want her to pass out and vomit. 

When he heard her snoring softly he touched her hair, gave her one last look and then left the room. Nik stopped in the kitchen and put her keys on the counter. Then he found a note pad and left her a quick note with his number. It wasn’t much longer until his flight left and he would likely be back home before she even woke up. He left the hall light on and locked the door as he left. Would she call him? Nikolaj wasn’t sure if she would even remember him. He suspected she would also be very embarrassed. He hoped she would call though, London wasn’t all that far from his home in Denmark. 

THE FOLLOWING AFTERNOON 

It took hours for Gwendoline to make it out of her bedroom and into the kitchen. The furthest she’d made it from bed was the bathroom to vomit several times. Finally she was feeling well enough to get to the fridge and grab some drugs from the cupboard. She couldn’t remember much about the night before. She knew she’d drank, a lot, and that she’d been to a few different bars, but at some point her memory failed and she had no idea how she got home. 

That was until she saw her keys on the counter and found a note sitting beside her phone. The handwriting was pretty scratchy but she made it out: I drove you home last night. Hope you’re not feeling too rough this morning. All the best. There was no name but it was followed by a phone number. 

Gwen suddenly felt like crying. When she woke up in bed she was still wearing her thong and it seemed like someone had lovingly tucked her in. She was certain she hadn’t fucked anyone, though she couldn’t be sure. Reading the note she was sure. Whoever this man was, he could have easily had his way with her if he wanted to, yet instead he’d made sure she was home safe and tucked her into bed. 

She had been completely shitfaced the night before. Life wasn’t going the way she wanted it to and she’d decided to drown her sorrows. She was acting like an immature child, not a focussed woman who knew what she wanted and just needed to get there. Then along came this man, when she was at her lowest and he picked up her life she’d thrown on the floor, gathered her up and left her safe and sound, keeping her away from men who may not have been so honorable. 

In that moment Gwen decided she would never settle for a man who didn’t treat her with the same respect this stranger had treated her with. Maybe there was a chance she wouldn’t have to settle for anyone but this angel that had found her at her lowest point yet still left his number? She quickly picked up the phone and dialed the number at the bottom of the note. A recording responded - the number you have dialed is not in service. 

Confused she looked at the number and tried again. Her heart sank as she hung up the phone with the message echoing in her mind, the number you have dialed is not in service.


	2. Chapter 2

Gwendoline had just untied her robe when someone started banging on the door to her dressing room. “Bloody well hold on,” she called out, retying the robe and trotting off to open the door. Before she got there the knocking started up again. “Holy fuck,” she grumbled as she yanked it open. “What?” She snapped. It had been a long day of filming and her usually good natured costar had been a huge grump. Gwen was ready to drive home and literally crawl right into bed. 

Unfortunately said costar was right there staring at her. “Well if it isn’t the biggest diva I have ever had the privilege of working with,” she said, scowling at him. “Unless you’re here to apologize I don’t have time. We can chat tomorrow when I’ve slept and I’m more prepared to deal with your moodiness.” 

The two of them never pulled any punches with each other. Despite the way it would have seemed to anyone watching their exchange they really did have an exceptional relationship. They said whatever they felt, they gave constructive criticism, and they teased the shit out of each other. But right then, she just needed a little space from him. 

“We need to talk,” Nikolaj finally said. 

Gwen started to close the door, “that didn’t sound like an apology to me.” 

He stuck his foot in the way and was inside in a flash, shutting the door behind him. “Please. It’s important.” 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure I still didn’t hear a sorry come out of your mouth. So please leave, I need to get dressed.” She crossed her arms and glared at him. 

“I’ll apologize, I promise, but I don’t want to do it here,” Nik replied. He looked a bit strange, almost desperate. “I’m not leaving until you swear you’ll go somewhere with me to talk,” he added, crossing his arms to mirror her. 

“Suit yourself,” she said, pulling the tie on her robe. They had been filming together nude the entire day, he’d seen her naked multiple times already so what was once more if he was refusing to leave? 

“Gwen,” he sighed. “Just agree we can talk tonight and I’ll wait in the hall.” He didn’t turn away or hide his eyes so she let the robe fall to the the floor, stepped out of it and started putting on her clothes. 

She stubbornly didn’t say a word until she was fully dressed, right down to zipping her boots. “Okay, fine. If it’s so important we do this tonight let’s get it over with.” 

Nik nodded and then looked a bit perplexed. “I don’t know where we should go,” he said, scratching his chin in thought. 

Gwen had very little patience left and had to catch herself from snapping at him again. She took a deep breath first. “How about you just come to my place?” She suggested. “My friend and her fiancé are across in LA for work so I have the place to myself for a couple of weeks.” Gwendoline was staying with a close friend who conveniently lived less than 15 minutes from where they were filming. Her friend and her fiancé were also actors and they both had auditions in Los Angeles. 

“That will work,” he agreed. Gwen grabbed her keys and headed to her car. “I’ll follow, try not to drive like a maniac,” he called out. She flipped him the bird and got in her car. It took all she had not to purposely try to lose him, but she behaved, only because she was actually starting to get rather curious as to what he needed to talk to her about. 

It felt so good to get inside and kick off her boots that her mood actually improved moments after entering the flat. “Wine?” She asked as Nik followed her into the kitchen. 

“Sure, unless you’ve got a bottle of whiskey handy instead?” She gave him a look and then added a bit more wine to his glass. He took it, had a huge drink and then set it down. “I’m really, truly sorry for my behavior today,” he said, stepping closer so he could lay a hand on her arm. “You were incredible and I was a jerk.” 

She really wanted to make him grovel a bit more, but she did understand that the tub scene they shot that day was incredibly important to him. That was his only saving grace for all the times he snapped at her for being her usual silly self in between takes. Gwen always liked to keep things light and fun, especially when their characters were in such an emotional place, but Nik was the opposite and he needed to feel every bit as angry and hurt as Jaime was feeling in the scene. “Apology accepted, but I think you owe me a nice dinner when we’re done shooting next week.” Their eyes met and they both began to smile. Neither one of them enjoyed fighting with each other unless it was the teasing playful banter they were so good at. Gwen honestly didn’t know another person she could harp on like she did Nik, who would never take any offence and give it right back in the same way. They understood each other so well and perhaps part of why she’d been so irritated with him was because she missed their usual playfulness, even for a moment. 

“It’s a date,” he said. His words were followed by an awkward look that she didn’t quite understand but it passed. 

“Come on, let’s sit where it’s more comfortable,” she said, leading him to the couch. Nik sat at one end and she plopped down on the other, then stretched out her legs, setting her feet comfortably in his lap. It was nothing different or unusual for them to sit like that but Nik immediately looked uncomfortable so she quickly sat up. “Okay now you’re scaring me.” Her heart started to beat faster. “What’s going on?” 

His face looked pale. “I don’t even know where to start,” he said. Finally he looked at her and a strange melancholy smile appeared on his lips, completely changing his expression. “It was such a long time ago. Damn near 20 years, you were so young, hell, I was young,” his voice trailed off. Gwen had no idea what the hell he was talking about but she was afraid to interrupt because she worried he would lose momentum and it would take even longer to get to the point. Nik inhaled and then exhaled slowly. “Do you remember waking up one day after a night out and finding a note from a man who had brought you home?” 

Gwen’s felt her heart start to beat out of control and then heard the sound of blood rushing past her ears. She realized if she didn’t focus, quickly, she was going to pass out. “How, how do you know about that?” She stammered. That moment had changed her in ways she couldn’t begin to express, now here he was, someone she didn’t even know back then, asking her about an event she had never told another person about. Not a single soul. 

“Oh thank God you remember,” he gasped with relief. “I was so worried it didn’t mean enough to you to actually remember clearly.” 

“Nik, I don’t know what’s going on,” her hands were shaking as she rung them together nervously. “That’s something I’ll never forget but why, why do you know about it? Who told you? Was it him? Do you know who he is?” For years she has held on to the hope that somehow fate would bring the mystery man back to her but eventually she gave up on that notion and started to believe that it was a moment meant to change how she viewed men and relationships and how she, as a woman, should be treated by others and herself.

“I do know who he is,” Nik said gently, nodding his head. 

“You do?” Gwen was overcome with so many emotions. She was scared and excited and even a bit angry that somehow Nikolaj knew her mysterious hero and she didn’t. “Tell me, please?” 

“Gwen it was me.” She started to laugh at first and then punched him. Why was he teasing her like that? “I’m not joking. It was me. I was the one who took you home that night. I drove your car home. I tucked you in. I left a note,” his face twisted with hurt. “I left my number.” 

“00-24-31-44-67,” She recited the number by heart. She still knew it. She’d dialed it an irrational number of times hoping for a different response. 

“87,” Nik corrected her. 

“No,” Gwen shook her head. “It was 67. That’s what you wrote. That’s what it said.” It really hadn’t sunk in yet that Nik was the man she’d wondered about her whole life since that night, right then she was too busy arguing about the phone number. 

“My number ended in 87,” he said gently. “You really called? You tried to call?” 

“It was 67,” she said feebly, still unwilling to believe that she’d misread the number. “Of course I called you idiot,” she finally snapped. “That was the sweetest, most romantic thing any man had ever done for me. I wanted to say thank you. I wanted to know him…” Her voice choked with emotion. There was so much going on in her mind that she wanted to scream. 

“You called,” he repeated, smiling at her. 

Gwen looked into his eyes and nodded. “I called.” They stared at one another, her mind was still racing. This was all too much. Nik was her hero and one wrong number had changed their course of life. What if she’d dialed the right number? Where would they be? “You stupid fucker,” she snapped, jumping to her feet to pace. “You couldn’t print your number neater? Your lame ass scribbly handwriting messed up everything.” Gwen knew she was being completely irrational, but fuck, she just wanted to scream and stomp her feet and throw things. Her entire life could have been different if only he’d printed his phone number neatly. 

Nik closed his eyes and slumped back against the couch. “I figured you thought I was some weirdo. Or maybe you were embarrassed about being so drunk.” He was still stuck on the fact that she’d actually tried to call. 

She was still stomping around muttering random things that popped into her mind while he was doing the same thing still sitting on the couch. Eventually a few questions popped into her mind and she needed to know the answers. “How long have you know it was me?” They had worked together for more than 2 years at that point. 

“I knew from the moment I laid eyes on you,” he admitted. “You’re not easy to forget you know.” Nik was looking at her differently and it made her heart flutter in a way that could only mean one thing. Slowly she sunk to the floor at his feet and leaned forward against his legs. “You told me you were going to be an actress one day. You said everyone would know your name, and they do.” She looked up at him and he gently touched her hair. “Maybe this was supposed to be how it all worked out.” 

“No,” she snapped, feeling anger bubbling up inside her again. “I can’t believe that. I won’t believe that.” He was so relaxed and gentle with her. “Why didn’t you tell me? All this time. Why did you wait? Why now?” 

Nik reached down and picked up her hand. “For a long time I still assumed you didn’t call and I guess I just wanted to let it go. I figured there was no going back anyway, so what was the point?” he explained. “But it keep eating away at me. All the time we’ve spent together lately, I just needed to know if you remembered. I didn’t want it to affect us working together though so maybe it was selfish of me to wait, but I wanted to get past the tub scene first because I just couldn’t bear for anything to taint it.” Gwen sighed, but she understood. “I treated you really shitty today and I’m so so so sorry for that, but I had this in the back of my mind, desperate to let it out and I had to keep pushing it away to try and focus on the scene and I started to irrationally blame you.” He stroked her hand and Gwen felt her heart flutter again. She’d never felt this way towards him before. There had always been a flirty sexual attraction because the man was seriously gorgeous and they had that banter thing going. But this feeling was new and very scary. “I knew I had to get it off my chest tonight and I’m so sorry I waited this long.” 

Gwen had no idea what to say. She was completely exhausted in every way. She gently pulled her hand away and then used his knees to push herself to her feet. “You should go,” she whispered. She felt numb. She couldn’t decide if she was mad or sad or if it was something she could get over quickly or something she would never get over. 

Nik nodded and stood. “Do you think maybe we can talk some more tomorrow after work?” His voice was so nervous and uncertain. She was positive she’d never heard that tone from him before. She bobbed her head in response and hoped she would somehow be able to sort out some of her feelings before then, but with her exhaustion and another long day of filming she wasn’t certain it would be possible. She just couldn’t say no though so she would have to figure it out. 

He moved towards the front door and she followed. When they stopped by the door she was overcome by a flashback and she gasped. “I remember something,” she whispered. “We kissed.” 

“We did, but I stopped because I knew it was wrong,” he said. “Not right away though,” he added. “I couldn’t help myself.” 

“I’m not drunk right now,” she said. Gwen had no fucking clue why she’d said that. It was crazy. This whole thing was just insane. Still she stepped closer to him. He smelled really good and she closed her eyes. 

“No, you’re not,” she heard him say. She could feel the heat from his body and it made her cheeks flush. Every bit of sanity she had left was screaming to stop. We shouldn’t be doing this. This is wrong. Yet she leaned in, hoping he would meet her lips, praying Nik would be her partner in crime. Tingles covered her from head to toe when she felt his lips touch hers. It wasn’t the same kind of messy, drunken, desperate kind of kiss that she remembered, it was just soft and sweet, very tender. She kept her eyes closed, even after he pulled away. His fingers caressed her cheek briefly. “Night Gwen.” 

She still couldn’t open her eyes because she knew it would hurt to see him walk away. “Night Nik,” she whispered. When the door clicked shut she finally let her eyes open. Then in a daze she somehow managed to make it to her room and get into bed before exhaustion took over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am very thankful for the kindness you all expressed on the first chapter. Thank you very much.

**Author's Note:**

> I thought the one shot was all I was writing but an idea came to me and I thought I would make an attempt at this multi chapter. School might interfere with how often I can update. I truly hope people aren’t offended by this. It’s just fiction, silly, fun, completely made up fiction.


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